David Liffiton
Canadian | birth_date = | birth_place = Windsor, ON, CAN | draft = 63rd overall | draft_year = 2003 | draft_team = Colorado Avalanche | career_start = 2004 }} David Liffiton (born October 18, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League, under contract to the Colorado Avalanche organization of the National Hockey League. Playing career Liffiton began his junior career with the Aylmer Blues in the OHA Junior B before he was selected in the 16th round, 326th overall, in the 2000 Ontario Hockey League priority selection by the Plymouth Whalers. Joining the Whalers in the 2001–02 season, and developing as a physical stay-at-home defenseman, Liffiton recorded his best season statistically in 2002–03 with 5 goals for 16 points in 64 games to help the Whalers reach Western Conference finals against the Kitchener Rangers. He was subsequently drafted 63rd overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. In his final year with Plymouth in 2003–04, Liffiton's rights were included in a trade by the Avalanche, along with Chris McAllister, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Matthew Barnaby and a third round selection in 2004 (Denis Parshin) on March 8, 2004. Signing an entry level contract with the Rangers on July 29, 2004, he began his professional career with Rangers ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, before moving up to American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack for the majority of the 2004–05 season. In the 2005–06 season he continued to play primarily with Hartford and finished second on the Wolf Pack with 169 Penalty minutes. Towards the end of the season, the Rangers were hit with injury on the blueline and David made his NHL debut playing a solitary game against rivals the New York Islanders, registering 2 penalty minutes, in a 3-2 defeat on April 11, 2006. He played in two further games in the 2006–07 season with the Rangers, including his first NHL fight against the Boston Bruins' Jeremy Reich, but again remained entrenched as a physical force among the Wolf Pack blueline amassing 189 penalty minutes in 72 games. In his fourth season within the Rangers organization in 2007–08, Liffiton was limited to only 21 games with the Wolf Pack suffering post-concussion symptoms that kept him sidelined for the majority of the year. On November 4, 2008, Liffiton signed as a free agent to a one-year contract with Esbjerg fB of the Danish League, Oddset Ligaen. Upon Completing the season, he ended his European stint on July 13, 2009, and came back to North America initially signing a one-year deal with Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. David was invited to Syracuse's NHL affiliate, the Columbus Blue Jackets, training camp for the 2009–10 season and was signed to a one-year contract with the Blue Jackets before he was re-assigned to the Crunch on September 29, 2009. David spent the entire year with the Crunch, and developed a career season high with 5 goals, 15 assists and 20 points as the Crunch failed to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs. As a free agent, David returned to his original draft team in the Colorado Avalanche, signing a one-year contract on July 2, 2010. He was then re-assigned during the 2010–11 pre-season to the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, on September 23, 2010. His first NHL goal was scored on October 30, 2010 against Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Career statistics References External links * * Category:Born in 1984 Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category:Charlotte Checkers (1993–2010) players Category:Colorado Avalanche draft picks Category:Colorado Avalanche players Category:Hartford Wolf Pack players Category:Lake Erie Monsters players Category:New York Rangers players Category:Plymouth Whalers alumni Category:Syracuse Crunch players